Repeat study and funding for full-time undergraduate students

If you have failed part of your course and need to retake modules, you must check your funding entitlement before registering for your next year of study. This is important if the repeat study extends your course by an academic year. 

Student Finance gives you a tuition fee loan for the length of your course + one extra year. This extra year is often called a gift year and is usually used if:

• You've repeated a year before
• You studied at another university, even briefly or without funding
• You previously started or transferred from another course without academic progression. 

Living cost funding 

If you're repeating a year, your tuition fee loan might be affected. You'll normally still get your maintenance loan and any extra help you receive, such as grants for dependents or Disabled Students Allowances as long as you haven't completed a degree already. If you're still unsure of your funding entitlement, contact a UWE Bristol Student Money Adviser.

If you have already repeated a year of your current course you may have already used your gift year. You will have to pay tuition fees yourself for the year of repeat study.

Previous study and the gift year

Previous study counts towards your tuition fee loan entitlement. If you started a full-time course in the past, even if it was only for a week and even if you paid for it yourself, this will still count as one year of study. It does not matter whether you received funding for your previous course or which university you attended.

If you are currently on a three-year degree, you are usually entitled to four years of tuition fee loans. This includes your course length plus one extra year which is called a gift year. If you have already completed one year of previous study, this leaves three years of tuition fee loan available for your current course.

Level transfers and the gift year

If you complete a year of study and then transfer to a new course without academic progression, you will receive a tuition fee loan for Year 1 of the new course, as long as you have not already used your gift year of funding.

If you have already used your gift year you will have to pay the tuition fees yourself in Year 1 of the new course.

If you have been affected by personal circumstances such as ill health/bereavement, see compelling personal reasons (CPR).

Self funding after a gift year

If you're not eligible for a tuition fee loan next year and need to pay your own fees, it's important to have your funding in place before you register.

Registering without the funds and then leaving the course due to money issues will still count as another year of study in your Student Finance record, even if you didn't get any funding for it.

If you do have the money ready to cover your tuition fees, you don't have to pay it all upfront. UWE Bristol offers the option to spread your payments over six monthly instalments. 

If you have been ill during the year or there have been significant personal problems that have caused you to fail, you must provide evidence of this to Student Finance.

Even if you still have your gift year available, it is important to apply for compelling personal reasons (CPR) in order to protect your gift year of funding.

Retaking one module to complete your course

If you need to retake one module, you are considered to be a full-time student on a part-time mode of attendance.

You will continue to be eligible for full-time funding from Student Finance. Your entitlement to a tuition fee loan will be subject to the fee loan limits described above. As you remain registered on your full-time course, you will remain exempt from council tax.

Retaking failed modules alongside new modules

If you are taking a combination of failed modules and new modules, don't assume that you will automatically progress into the next year. If you are unsure whether you will be recorded as repeating a year or progressing into your next year, contact a Student Support Adviser.

Even if you are permitted to take some of your new modules alongside the modules you are repeating, you may still need to extend the length of your degree.

If you do progress, you may still need to repeat a future year, which lessens the opportunity to apply for compelling personal reasons. This is a complex area. so if you would like to check your entitlement to funding for your new course please contact a Student Money Adviser.